設計師打造出”不可能”零碳屋 16 July 2015

有一群在英國卡迪夫大學的設計師表示，他們已經建造出喬治奧斯本（英國財政大臣）曾形容是不可能的那種房子！此財政大臣放棄了新房子在2016年要達到零碳排放的要求，因為他說這將會被證明太過昂貴。不過，英國卡迪夫大學說，他們已經建造了一種可輸出比使用量更多能量到集電格網的房子。而關鍵的是，他們說此建造成本降低且在社會住宅的正常預算之內。一位政府發言人表示，房子的建造者尚需要更多的時間來開發低能量家園。

“多餘的能源”

這房子僅花了四個月建造且每平方米的成本為1000英鎊，設計師說這對於每平方米造價在800~1000英鎊的社會住宅是在成本範圍內的。該物業，近布里真德市，具有絕緣外牆與仰賴太陽能的空氣加熱系統。設計師說，在冬天將需要另外輸入能源，但在夏季輸出的能源將會超越冬季所需。

另一棟零碳住宅是在沃特福德附近一快完成的建築研究機構。此機構也是以低成本社會住宅為目的。來自不萊梅的約翰·歐布萊恩，告訴BBC新聞：“此財政大臣對於永續與零碳家園的法規與承諾放棄的原因，是因為造價仍需英鎊1,000 / m2的成本是無法被實現的。而這些房屋也因此顯現了缺點。“　他表示這並不需要更多花費去建造零碳家園，且在這成本之下實現房屋為其所有者帶來收入的可能。此永續住宅的法規允許議會要求製造商符合在能源，節水，節材，廢棄物和污染上的高環境標準。政府卻在三月取消了這項措施。

“負擔的起的選擇”

在布里真德的房子已於面南的屋頂裝上玻璃的太陽能光發電，使下面的空間是自然光線。以一個標準屋頂來看，太陽能發電面板可減少螺栓上的成本。屋內同時使用太陽能發電和蓄電池結合應用於加熱，通風和熱水系統，而電力系統包含電器，LED照明和熱泵。太陽能空氣系統能預熱通風空氣，也是被熱水儲存溫暖起來。領導此計畫的教授菲爾·瓊斯表示：“運用最新的科技，創新和設計，的確有可能以低成本打造零碳屋，為經濟和環境同時創造長遠的益處。“我們的減碳正效益房屋成本相似於社會住宅的基準，使其成為房屋建造者能負擔的選擇。我們希望於其他地區也能被推廣。”

這兩棟開拓性的房屋皆會受到密切關注，因為房屋居住者為實際的人們而不是研究者計算出來的執行結果。目前更大的挑戰是針對英國現有的房屋去做翻新，這在歐洲是效率最高的。政府為其財政緊縮還刪減用於家庭能源效率的經費。一位社區與當地政府部門的發言人表示：“政府不繼續進行零碳建築的政策，並將以給予開發者更多時間去建造節能住宅取代，是由於上屆議會在建築法規中為提高效率所帶來的改變。房屋建築商聯合會持續地遊說減少法規，並表示這將有助於降低成本並在住宅短缺時增加供給。

“教條主義政策”

來自德國HBF的史蒂夫·特納告訴BBC新聞：“針對新房屋維持當前的能源效率是一明智之舉。目前英國已在現有的嚴格標準之下建造了一批在世上最節能的房屋，這些房屋比起現有房屋節能三分之一至50%，可為購買者一年省下幾百英磅的能源開銷。但是，前能源部長埃德戴維表示：政府的能源政策是“教條主義”。他表示：零能源住宅顯示新房屋標準的廢除是魯莽的破壞，這將會使消費者與國家在能源開銷上付出更多的金錢。其他評論家則說，大眾市場的房屋建築商應被迫去學習新的技術和使用新材料。能源管理協會的珍妮荷蘭表示：我們需要終止短視近利只在乎建造成本，住戶想知道的是住在這房屋裡需要多少花費，而不是建造費用。人們會為了高效能的冰箱或冰櫃願意支付額外的費用。如果多花一點錢能獲得更好的接近零能源開銷的房屋，居住者開心，而我們也都獲得環境的報償。”

原文:

Designers create the 'impossible' zero-carbon house

Designers at Cardiff University say they have constructed the sort of house George Osborne once described as impossible.

The chancellor scrapped a requirement for new homes to be zero carbon by 2016 because he said it would prove too expensive. But Cardiff University say they have built a house that exports more power to the grid than it uses. And crucially they say the cost fell within the normal budget for social housing.

A government spokesman said house builders needed to be given more time to develop low energy homes.

'Excess energy'

The house took just 16 weeks to construct and cost £1,000 per sq m - that's within the range for social housing of £800 to £1,000 per sq m, the designers said.

In future, they say its owners will make money from selling excess energy.

The property, near Bridgend, has insulated render on the outside and air heating systems that rely on the sun.

The designers say it will need to import energy in the winter, but the imports will be trumped by energy exports during summer months.

Another zero-carbon home is close to completion at the Building Research Establishment near Watford. It too is aimed at low-cost social housing.

John O'Brien, from BRE, told BBC News: "The chancellor’s reason for dropping the Code for Sustainable Homes and then the zero carbon homes commitment was because these could not be achieved while still coming in at £1,000/m2. These homes show that is flawed."

He said it didn't need to cost more to build zero carbon homes - and it was even possible to deliver homes at this cost that would provide an income for owners.

The Code for Sustainable Homes allowed councils to demand that builders meet high environmental standards on energy, water, materials, waste and pollution.

The government scrapped the measure in March.

'Affordable option'

The Bridgend house has glazed solar photo-voltaic (PV) panels fitted into the south-facing roof, allowing the space below to be naturally lit.

This reduced the cost of bolting on solar panels to a standard roof.

The house uses solar generation and battery storage to run both the combined heating, ventilation and hot water system, and the electrical power system, which includes appliances, LED lighting and a heat pump.

The solar air system preheats the ventilation air, which is also warmed by a warm water store.

Professor Phil Jones, who led the project, said: "Using the latest technology, innovation and design, it is indeed possible to build a zero carbon house at low costs, creating long-term benefits for both the economy and the environment.

"The cost of our carbon-positive house was similar to that of the social housing benchmark, making it an affordable option for house builders. We hope that this can be replicated in other areas..."

Both of the pioneering homes will be closely scrutinised because homes inhabited by real people do not always perform as well as researchers calculate they should.

A bigger challenge by far is retrofitting the UK's existing housing stock, which is some of the least efficient in Europe.

The government has also cut funds for home energy efficiency as part of its austerity drive.

A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "The government is not proceeding with the zero carbon buildings policy and will instead give developers the time they need to build energy efficient homes required by recent changes brought in during the last parliament to building regulations to improve efficiency."

The Home Builders Federation has been lobbying for a reduction in regulations. It says this will reduce costs and help increase supply at a time of housing shortage.

'Doctrinaire policies'

Steve Turner, from the HBF, told BBC News: "Maintaining the current energy efficiency requirements for new homes is a sensible move.

"The UK is already building some of the most energy efficient homes in the world under the current exacting standards. Homes built today are a third to 50% more energy efficient than existing homes, saving buyers hundreds of pounds a year on energy bills."

But former Energy Secretary Ed Davey said the government's energy policies were "doctrinaire".

"The Zero Energy house shows that the abolition of the new home standard was reckless vandalism which will end up costing consumers and the country much more money in energy bills," he said.

Other critics say mass market house-builders should be forced to learn new techniques and to use new materials.

Jenny Holland, from the Association for Conservation of Energy, said: "We need an end to the short-sighted Treasury approach that only cares about building costs. Householders want to know how much the house costs to live in, not to build.

"People pay a little extra for an efficient fridge or freezer. If spending a little more provides a better house that has close to zero energy bills, the occupants are happy and we all reap the environmental rewards."

NEWS FROM: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33544831